NEW  YORK  STATE  LOCAL  HISTORY 
SOURCE  LEAFLETS 


PREPARED  BY  THE  DIVISION  OF 
ARCHIVES  AND  HISTORY 


VERRAZANO'S  VOYAGE  ALONG  THE  ATLANTIC 
COAST  OF  NORTH  AMERICA 

1S24 

Reprinted  from  the  annual  report  of  the  State  Historian 


ALBANY 

THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  THE  STATE  OF  NEW  YORK 
I916 

Y8r-Oi6-5<>oo 


NOTE 

These  leaflets  are  intended  for  the  boys  and 
girls  in  our  New  York  schools  so  that  they  may 
come  to  know  something  of  the  sources  of  the 
history  which  they  study.  It  is  hoped  that  the 
teachers,  their  pupils  and  others  into  whose 
hands  they  come  will  feel  encouraged  to  make 
suggestions  for  similar  selections,  or  even  them- 
selves prepare  material  and  present  it  to  the 
Division  of  Archives  and  History  for  editing 
and  publication. 


***** 


PI 


*4 


to 


Of 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  book 

Because  it  has  been  said 
"Ever  thing  comes  t'  him  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  book." 


Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


At  one  time  a  painting  in  oil  of  Verrazano  was  in  the  possession  of  his  family. 
This  portrait  was  engraved  for  a  book  entitled  "  Uomini  Illustri  Toscani  "  pub- 
lished in  Florence  in  1768.  The  above  is  from  the  engraving.  The  signature  is 
from  a  letter  signed  by  him.    See  De  Costa,  Verrazano  the  Explorer,  p.  44. 


Extract  of  a  Letter  from  Joao  da  Silveira,  Portuguese  Ambassa- 
dor in  France,  to  John  III,  King  of  Portugal 1 

Sire: 

[The  letter  first  speaks  of  other  matters  and  then  goes  on] 
By  what  I  hear,  Maestro  Joao  Verazano,  who  is  going  on  the 
discovery  of  Cathay,  has  not  left  up  to  this  date,  for  want  of 
opportunity  and  because  of  differences,  I  understand  between  him- 
self and  his  men;  and  on  this  topic,  though  knowing  of  nothing 
positively,  I  have  written  my  doubts  in  accompanying  letters.  I 
shall  continue  to  doubt  unless  he  take  his  departure. 

.  .  .  May  our  Lord  prolong  the  life  of  your  Highness  many 
days  and  prosper  the  royal  estate. 
From  Poessi  the  XXV  of  April  1523. 

Joao  da  Silveira 

Letter  of  Bernardo  Carli  to  his  Father  about  Verrazano's  Voyage 
In  the  name  of  God, 

4  August,  1524. 

Honorable  Father : 

Considering  that  when  I  was  in  the  armada  in  Barbary  at  Garbich 
the  news  were  advised  you  daily  from  the  illustrious  Sig.  Don  Hugo 
de  Moncada,  Captain  General  of  the  Caesarean  Majesty  in  those 
barbarous  parts,  [of  what]  happened  in  contending  with  the  Moors 
of  that  island ;  by  which  it  appears  you  caused  pleasure  to  many 
of  our  patrons  and  friends  and  congratulated  yourselves  on  the 
victory  achieved :  so  there  being  here  news  recently  of  the  arrival  of 
Captain  Giovanni  da  Verrazzano,  our  Florentine,  at  the  port  of 
Dieppe,  in  Normandy,  with  his  ship,  the  Dauphiny,  with  which  he 
sailed  from  the  Canary  islands  the  end  of  last  January,  to  go  in 
search  of  new  lands  for  this  most  serene  crown  of  France,  in  which 
he  displayed  very  noble  and  great  courage  in  undertaking  such  an 
unknown  voyage  with  only  one  ship,  which  was  a  caravel  of 

hardly  tons,  with  only  fifty  men,  with  the  intention,  if  possible, 

of  discovering  Cathay,  taking  a  course  through  other  climates  than 
those  the  Portuguese  use  in  reaching  it  by  the  way  of  Calicut,  but 
going  towards  the  northwest  and  north,  entirely  believing  that, 
although  Ptolemy,  Aristotle  and  other  cosmographers  affirm  that 
no  land  is  to  be  found  towards  such  climates,  he  would  find  it  there 

1  The  headings  used  throughout  this  leaflet  are  put  in  by  the  editor. 
They  do  not  appear  in  the  manuscripts. 

3 


4 


nevertheless.  And  so  God  has  vouchsafed  him  as  he  distinctly 
describes  in  a  letter  of  his  to  this  &  M.J  of  which,  in  this,  there 
is  a  copy.  And  for  want  of  provisions,  after  many  months  spent 
in  navigating,  he  asserts  he  was  forced  to  return  from  that  hemi- 
sphere into  this,  and  having  been  seven  months  on  the  voyage,  to 
show  a  very  great  and  rapid  passage,  and  to  have  achieved  a  wonder- 
ful and  most  extraordinary  feat  according  to  those  who  under- 
stand the  seamanship  of  the  world.  Of  which  at  the  commence- 
ment of  his  said  voyage  there  was  an  unfavorable  opinion  formed, 
and  many  thought  there  would  be  no  more  news  either  of  him  or  of 
his  vessel,  but  that  he  might  be  lost  on  that  side  of  Norway,  in 
consequence  of  the  great  ice  which  is  in  that  northern  ocean;  but 
the  Great  God,  as  the  Moor  said,  in  order  to  give  us  every  day 
proofs  of  his  infinite  power  and  show  us  how  admirable  is  this 
worldly  machine,  has  disclosed  to  him  a  breadth  of  land,  as  you 
will  perceive,  of  such  extent  that  according  to  good  reasons,  and 
the  degrees  of  latitude  and  longitude,  he  alleges  and  shows  it  greater 
than  Europe,  Africa  and  a  part  of  Asia;  ergo  mundus  novus:1 
and  this  exclusive  of  what  the  Spaniards  have  discovered  in  several 
years  in  the  west. 

[Here  follow  some  remarks  on  Magellan.] 

What  this  our  captain  has  brought  he  does  not  state  in  this  letter, 
except  a  very  young  man  taken  from  those  countries ;  but  it  is 
supposed  he  has  brought  a  sample  of  gold  which  they  do  not 
value  in  those  parts,  and  of  drugs  and  other  aromatic  liquors  for 
the  purpose  of  conferring  here  with  several  merchants  after  he  shall 
have  been  in  the  presence  of  the  Most  Serene  Majesty.  And  at  this 
hour  he  ought  to  be  there,  and  from  choice  to  come  here  shortly,  as 
he  is  much  desired  in  order  to  converse  with  him ;  the  more  so 
that  he  will  find  here  the  Majesty,  the  King,  our  Lord,  who  is 
expected  here  in  three  or  four  days.  And  we  hope  that  S.  M.  will 
entrust  him  again  with  half  a  dozen  good  vessels  and  that  he  will 
return  to  the  voyage.  And  if  our  Francisco  Carli  be  returned 
from  Cairo,  advise  him  to  go,  at  a  venture,  on  the  said  voyage 
with  him;  and  I  believe  they  were  acquainted  at  Cairo  where  he 
has  been  several  years;  and  not  only  in  Egypt  and  Syria,  but 
almost  through  all  the  known  world,  and  thence  by  reason  of  his 
merit  is  esteemed  another  Amerigo  Vespucci ;  another  Fernando 
Magellan  and  even  more ;  and  we  hope  that  being  provided  with 
other  good  ships  and  vessels,  well  built  and  properly  victualled, 
he  may  discover  some  profitable  traffic  and  matter;  and  will,  our 


1  Translation  :  "  therefore  a  new  world."  Ed. 


Map  made  by  La  Cosa  1500  Cantino  map  made  in  1502 


Map  printed  in  1513,  called  the  Admiral's  or  Ptolemy's  map 

Maps  made  before  the  time  of  Verrazano,  but  showing  no  knowledge  of 
the  coast  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York.  [From  Winsor's  Narrative  and  Critical 
History,  II,  p.  106,  108,  112.]    Only  sections  are  given  here. 


1 

Digitized  by 

the  Internet  Archive 

in  2014 

http://archive.org/details/verrazanosvoyageOOverr_0 


5 


Lord  God  granting  him  life,  do  honor  to  our  country,  in  acquiring 
immortal  fame  and  memory.  And  Alderotto  Brunelleschi  who 
started  with  him  and  by  chance  turning  back  was  not  willing  to 
accompany  him  further,  will,  when  he  hears  of  this,  be  discon- 
tented. Nothing  else  now  occurs  to  me,  as  I  have  advised  you  by 
others  of  what  is  necessary.  I  commend  myself  constantly  to  you, 
praying  you  to  impart  this  to  our  friends,  not  forgetting  Pier- 
francesco  Dagaghiano  who  in  consequence  of  being  an  experienced 
person  will  take  much  pleasure  in  it,  and  commend  me  to  him. 
Likewise  to  Rustichi,  who  will  not  be  displeased,  if  he  delight,  as 
usual,  in  learning  matters  of  cosmography.  God  guard  you  from 
all  evil. 

Your  son. 

Bernardo  Carli,  in  Lyons 

The  History  of  the  "  Dauphine  "  and  Its  Voyage 

1524 

Selections  from  a  Letter  of  the  Navigator  Giovanni  da  Ver- 
razano  to  the  King  of  France,  Francis  I,  Patron  and  Director  of 
the  Exploration,  about  the  Voyage  which  He  Made  along  the 
Eastern  Coast  of  the  Present  United  States  and  during  which 
He  Entered  the  Harbor  of  the  Present  City  of  New  York  1 

To  King  Francis  I  of  France 
After  the  tempest  suffered  in  the  northern  parts,  Most  Serene 
King,  I  have  not  written  to  Your  Majesty  that  which  was  experi- 
enced by  the  four  ships  which  thou  hadst  sent  by  the  Ocean  to  dis- 
cover new  lands,  thinking  that  thou  hadst  been  certified  of  every- 
thing— how  we  were  compelled  by  the  impetuous  force  of  the  winds 
to  return  to  Brittany  with  only  the  distressed  Normanda  and 
Dauphine;  where  having  made  repairs,  Your  Majesty  will  have 
learned  the  voyage  we  made  with  them,  armed  for  war,  along  the 
coasts  of  Spain;  later,  the  new  disposition  with  the  Dauphine  alone 
to  continue  the  first  navigation;  having  leturned  from  which.  I  will 
tell  Your  Majesty  what  we  have  found. 

From  Madeira  to  the  New  World.    Tempest  in  the  Ocean 

From  the  deserted  rock  near  to  the  island  of  Madeira  of  the  Most 
Serene  King  of  Portgual  a  with  the  said  Dauphine,  on  the  XVII  of 

1  Headings  are  put  in  by  the  editor. 

<*  commencing  1524.  [Lettered  notes  are  the  annotations  found  in  the 
manuscript.  Ed.] 


6 


the  month  of  January  past,  with  fifty  men,  furnished  with  victuals, 
arms  and  other  instruments  of  war  and  naval  munitions  for  eight 
months,  we  departed,  sailing  westward  by  an  east-south-east  wind 
blowing  with  sweet  and  gentle  lenity.  In  XXV  days  we  sailed 
eight  hundred  leagues.  The  XXIIII  day  of  February0  we  suffered 
a  tempest  as  severe  as  ever  a  man  who  has  navigated  suffered.  From 
which,  with  the  divine  aid  and  the  goodness  of  the  ship,  adapted 
by  its  glorious  name  and  fortunate  destiny  to  support  the  violent 
waves  of  the  sea,  we  were  delivered.  We  pursued  our  navigation 
continuously  toward  the  west,  holding  somewhat  to  the  north. 
In  XXV  more  days  we  sailed  more  than  400  leagues  where  there 
appeared  to  us  a  new  land  never  before  seen  by  anyone,  ancient 
or  modern. 

The  Land  First  Seen  in  34    North  Latitude 

At  first  it  appeared  rather  low  ;  having  approached  to  within  a 
quarter  of  a  league,  we  perceived  it,  by  the  great  fires  built  on  the 
shore  of  the  sea,  to  be  inhabited.  We  saw  that  it  ran  toward  the 
south  ;  following  it,  to  find  some  port  where  we  could  anchor  with 
the  ship  and  investigate  its  nature,  in  the  space  of  fifty  leagues  we 
did  not  find  a  port  or  any  place  where  it  was  possible  to  stay  with 
the  ship.  And  having  seen  that  it  trended  continually  to  the  south, h 
we  decided  to  turn  about  to  coast  it  toward  the  north,  where  we 
found  the  same  place.1  We  anchored  by  the  coast,  sending  the 
small  boat  to  land.  We  had  seen  many  people  who  came  to  the 
shore  of  the  sea  and  seeing  us  approach  fled,  sometimes  halting, 
turning  back,  looking  with  great  admiration.  Reassuring  them  by 
various  signs,  some  of  them  approached,  showing  great  delight  at 
seeing  us,  marvelling  at  our  clothes,  figures  and  whiteness,  making 
to  us  various  signs  where  we  could  land  more  conveniently  with 
the  small  boat,  offering  to  us  of  their  foods. 

The  First  Landing  and  the  First  Indigenes 

We  were  on  land,  and  that  which  we  were  able  to  learn  of  their 
life  and  customs  I  will  tell  Your  Majesty  briefly : 

They  go  nude  of  everything  except  that  .  .  .  they  wear  some 
skins  of  little  animals  like  martens,  a  girdle  of  fine  grass  woven  with 

0  pei  haps  16  hours. 

&  in  order  not  to  meet  with  the  Spaniards. 

1  That  is,  to  the  place  where  he  first  came  in  sight  of  land  —  about 
34  degrees  north  latitude.    See  later  in  this  leaflet,  p.  14- 


VERRAZAXO  MONUMENT,  NEW  YORK 
Battery  Park,  New  York  City 


7 


various  tails  of  other  animals  which  hang  around  the  body  as  far  as 
the  knees ;  the  rest  nude ;  the  head  likewise.  Some  wear  certain 
garlands  of  feathers  of  birds.  They  are  of  dark  color  not  much 
unlike  the  Ethiopians,  and  hair  black  and  thick,  and  not  very  long, 
which  they  tie  together  back  on  the  head  in  the  shape  of  a  little  tail. 
As  for  the  symmetry  of  the  man,  they  are  well  proportioned,  of 
medium  stature,  and  rather  exceed  us.  In  the  breast  they  are  broad, 
their  arms  well  built,  the  legs  and  other  parts  of  the  body  well  put 
together.  There  is  nothing  else,  except  that  they  incline  somewhat 
to  broadness  in  the  face;  but  not  all,  for  in  more  we  saw  the  face 
clear-cut.  The  eyes  black  and  large,  the  glance  intent  and  quick. 
They  are  not  of  much  strength,  in  craftiness  acute,  agile  and  the 
greatest  runners.  From  what  we  were  able  to  learn  by  experience, 
they  resemble  in  the  last  two  respects  the  Orientals,  and  mostly 
those  of  the  farthest  Sinarian  regions.1  We  were  not  able  to  learn 
with  particularity  of  the  life  and  customs  of  these  people  because 
of  the  shortness  of  the  stay  we  made  on  land,  on  account  there  being 
few  people  and  the  ship  anchored  in  the  high  sea. 

[Here  follows  a  description  of  the  country  and  the  climate  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Carolinas.] 

A  Sailor  Among  the  Indigenes 

We  left  this  place  continually  skirting  the  coast,  which  we  found 
turned  to  the  east.  Seeing  everywhere  great  fires  on  account  of  the 
multitude  of  the  inhabitants,  anchoring  there  off  the  shore  because  it 
did  not  contain  any  port,  on  account  of  the  need  of  water  we  sent 
the  little  boat  to  land  with  XXV  men.  Because  of  the  very  large 
waves  wnich  the  sea  cast  up  on  the  shore  on  account  of  the  strand 
being  open,  it  was  not  possible  without  danger  of  losing  the  boat 
for  any  one  to  land.  We  saw  many  people  on  shore  making  us 
various  signs  of  friendship,  motioning  us  ashore;  among  whom 
I  saw  a  magnificent  deed,  as  Your  Majesty  will  hear. 

Sending  ashore  by  swimming  one  of  our  young  sailors  carrying 
to  them  some  trinkets,  such  as  little  bells,  mirrors,  and  other  favors, 
and  being  approached  within  4  fathoms  of  them,  throwing  the  goods 
to  them  and  wishing  to  turn  back  he  was  so  tossed  by  the  waves  that 
almost  half  dead  he  was  carried  to  the  edge  of  the  shore.  Which 
having  been  seen,  the  people  of  the  land  ran  immediately  to  him; 
taking  him  by  the  head,  legs  and  arms,  they  carried  him  some 

1  Ramusio's  text  has  the  "  regions  of  China." 


> 


8 

distance  away.  Where,  the  youth,  seeing  himself  carried  in  such 
way,  stricken  with  terror,  uttered  very  loud  cries,  which  they  did 
similarly  in  their  language,  showing  him  that  he  should  not  fear. 
After  that,  having  placed  him  on  the  ground  in  the  sun  at  the  foot 
of  a  little  hill,  they  performed  great  acts  of  admiration,  regarding 
the  whiteness  of  his  flesh,  examining  him  from  head  to  foot.  Tak- 
ing off  his  shirt  and  hose,  leaving  him  nude,  they  made  a  very 
large  fire  near  him,  placing  him  near  the  heat.  Which  having  been 
seen,  the  sailors  who  had  remained  in  the  small  boat,  full  of  fear, 
as  is  their  custom  in  every  new  case,  thought  that  they  wanted  to 
roast  him  for  food.  His  strength  recovered,  having  remained  with 
them  awhile,  he  showed  by  signs  that  he  desired  to  return  to  the 
ship;  who,  with  the  greatest  kindness,  holding  him  always  close 
with  various  embraces,  accompanied  him  as  far  as  the  sea,  and 
in  order  to  assure  him  more,  extending  themselves  on  a  high  hill, 
stood  to  watch  him  until  he  was  in  the  boat.  Which  young  man 
learned  of  this  people  that  they  are  thus :  of  dark  color  like  the 
others,  the  flesh  more  lustrous,  of  medium  stature,  the  face  more 
clear-cut,  much  more  delicate  of  body  and  other  members,  of  much 
less  strength  and  even  of  intelligence.   He  saw  nothing  else. 

[Here  follows  an  annotation  on  the  names  which  Verrazano  gave 
to  various  places  in  this  locality.] 

Three  Days  in  "Arcadia  "  1 :  a  Boy  Stolen 

Having  departed  thence,  following  always  the  shore  which  turned 
somewhat  toward  the  north,  we  came  in  the  space  of  fifty  leagues 
to  another  land  which  appeared  much  more  beautiful  and  full  of 
the  largest  forests.  Anchoring  at  which,  XX  men  going  about  two 
leagues  inland,  we  found  the  people  through  fear  had  fled  to  the 
woods.  Seeking  everywhere,  we  met  with  a  very  old  woman  and  a 
damsel  of  from  XVIII  to  XX  years,  who  through  fear  had  hidden 
themselves  in  the  grass.  The  old  one  had  two  little  girls  whom  she 
carried  on  the  shoulders,  and  back  on  the  neck  a  boy,  all  of  eight 
years  of  age.  The  young  woman  had  as  many  of  the  same,  but  all 
girls.  Having  approached  toward  whom,  they  began  to  cry  out, 
[and]  the  old  woman  to  make  signs  to  us  that  the  men  had  fled  to 
the  woods.  We  gave  them  to  eat  of  our  viands,  which  she  accepted 
with  great  gusto;  the  young  woman  refused  everything  and  with 
anger  threw  it  to  the  ground.    We  took  the  boy  from  the  old 


1  Maryland  or  Delaware. 


9 


woman  to  carry  to  France,  and  wishing  to  take  the  young  woman, 
who  was  of  much  beauty  and  of  tall  stature,  it  was  not  however 
possible,  on  account  of  the  very  great  cries  which  she  uttered,  for 
us  to  conduct  her  to  the  sea.  And  having  to  pass  through  some 
woods,  being  far  from  the  ship,  we  decided  to  release  her,  carrying 
only  the  boy. 

The  Textile  Plants  and  the  Grape:  the  Offering  of  Fire 

[Here  is  given  a  description  of  the  products  found  in  the  vicinity 
of  Maryland  and  Delaware.] 

Having  remained  in  this  place  three  days,  anchored  off  the  coast, 
we  decided  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  ports  to  depart,  always 
skirting  the  shore  a  toward  the  north  and  east,  navigating  by  day- 
light and  casting  anchor  at  night.6 

Land  of  Angouleme,  Bay  Saint  Margherita  (New  York),  River 
Vendome  (Hudson),  Island  of  Queen  Luisa  (Block  Island?) 

At  the  end  of  a  hundred  leagues  we  found  a  very  agreeable 
situation  located  within  two  small  prominent  hills,  in  the  midst  of 
which  flowed  to  the  sea  a  very  great  river,  which  was  deep  within 
the  mouth;  and  from  the  sea  to  the  hills  of  that  [place]  with  the 
rising  of  the  tides,  which  we  found  eight  feet,  any  laden  ship  might 
have  passed.  On  account  of  being  anchored  off  the  coast  in  good 
shelter,  we  did  not  wish  to  adventure  in  without  knowledge  of  the 
entrances.    We  were  with  the  small  boat,  entering  the  said  river  to 

a  which  we  baptized  Arcadia  on  account  of  the  beauty  of  the  trees. 

In  Arcadia  we  found  a  man  who  came  to  the  shore  to  see  what  people 
we  were;  who  stood  hesitating  and  ready  for  flight.  Watching  us,  he  did 
not  permit  himself  to  be  approached.  He  was  handsome,  nude,  with  hair 
fastened  back  in  a  knot,  of  olive  color. 

We  were,  about  XX  [in  number,]  ashore  and  coaxing  him  he  approached 
to  within  about  two  fathoms,  showing  a  burning  stick  as  if  to  offer  us  fire. 
And  we  made  fire  with  powder  and  flint-and-steel  and  he  trembled  all  over 
with  terror  and  we  fired  a  shot.  He  stopped  as  if  astonished  and  prayed, 
worshipping  like  a  monk,  lifting  his  finger  toward  the  sky,  and  pointing  to 
the  ship  and  the  sea  he  appeared  to  bless  us. 

b  we  followed  a  coast  very  green  with  forests  but  without  ports,  and  with 
some  charming  promontories  and  small  rivers.  We  baptized  the  coast 
"  di  Lorenna"1  on  account  of  the  Cardinal;  the  first  promontory  *  Lanzone," 
the  second  "  Bonivetto,"  2  the  largest  river  "  Vandoma,"  2  and  a  small  moun- 
tain which  stands  by  the  sea  "  di  C.  Polo  "  1  on  account  of  the  Count. 

1  See  the  map  of  Maillo  in  this  leaflet. 

2  See  the  map  by  Verrazano's  brother  in  this  leaflet. 


IO 

the  land,  which  we  found  much  populated.  The  people,  almost 
like  the  others,  clothed  with  the  feathers  of  birds  of  various  colors, 
came  toward  us  joyfully,  uttering  very  great  exclamations  of 
admiration,  showing  us  where  we  could  land  with  the  boat  more 
safely.  We  entered  said  river,  within  the  land,  about  half  a  league, 
where  we  saw  it  made  a  very  beautiful  lake  with  a  circuit  of  about 
three  leagues ;  Through  which  they  [the  Indians]  went,  going  from 
one  and  another  part  to  the  number  of  XXX  of  their  little  barges, 
with  innumerable  people,  who  passed  from  one  shore  and  the  other 
in  order  to  see  us.  In  an  instant,  as  is  wont  to  happen  in  naviga- 
tion, a  gale  of  unfavorable  wind  blowing  in  from  the  sea,  we  were 
forced  to  return  to  the  ship,  leaving  the  said  land  with  much  regret 
because  of  its  commodiousness  and  beauty,  thinking  it  was  not 
without  some  properties  of  value,  all  of  its  hills  showing  indications 
of  minerals.0 

The  anchor  raised,  sailing  toward  the  east,  a>  thus  the  land 
turned,  having  traveled  LXXX  leagues  always  in  sight  of  it,  we 
discovered  an  island  triangular  in  form,  distant  ten  leagues  from 
the  continent,  in  size  like  the  island  of  Rhodes,  full  of  hills,  covered 
with  trees,  much  populated  [judging]  by  the  continuous  fires  along 
all  the  surrounding  shore  which  we  saw  they  made.  We  baptized 
it  in  the  name  of  your  most  illustrious  mother  b ;  not  anchoring 
there  on  account  of  the  unfavorableness  of  the  weather. 

"Refugio,"  the  Very  Beautiful  Port  (Newport),  and  Its  Two 

Kings 

We  came  to  another  land,  distant  from  the  island  XV  leagues, 
where  we  found  a  very  beautiful  port,  and  before  we  entered  it, 
we  saw  about  XX  barges  of  the  people  who  came  with  various 
cries  of  wonder  round  about  the  ship.  Not  approaching  nearer 
than  fifty  paces,  they  halted,  looking  at  the  edifice  [that  is,  the 
ship],  our  figures  and  clothes;  then  altogether  they  uttered  a  loud 
shout,  signifying  that  they  were  glad.  Having  reassured  them  some- 
what, imitating  their  gestures,  they  came  so  near  that  we  threw  them 
some  little  bells  and  mirrors  and  many  trinkets,  having  taken 
which,  regarding  them  with  laughter,  they  entered  the  ship  con- 
fidently.   There  were  among  them  two  Kings,  of  as  good  stature 

a  Called  Angoleme  from  the  principality  which  thou  attainedst  in  lesser 
fortune,  and  the  bay  which  that  land  makes  Santa  Margarita  from  the  name 
of  the  sister  who  vainquishes  the  other  matrons  of  modesty  and  art. 

b  Aloysia. 


1 


-    o  m  p  k  St 


X  ... 

<<5L  ^ 


.  ^-;V_  


Map  made  by  Maiollo  in  1527,  showing  the  use  of  names  given  by  Verrazano 
in  his  letter.  [From  Winsor's  Narrative  and  Critical  History,  IV,  p.  39.]  Only 
a  section  is  given  here. 


D-i  fuea'o  in  are 
orien  lit  le  i  i  vecle. 
iC  )i«  on  otcitlen  (o.  fe  ! 
sate  j«><  "<  pUa.  <A  /e?> 
'a  I' una  it  i'  aU\ 


'«/< 


U 


Map  made  by  Verrazano's  brother,  Hieronimo,  in  1529,  and  based  on  the 
navigator's  data.  [From  Memorial  History  of  New  York,  I,  p.  14.]  Only  a 
section  is  given  here. 


A  drawing  of  Angouleme  (New  York  harbor)  and  the  Porto  del  Refugio  (New- 
port harbor)  based  on  French  maps  of  the  time  that  Ramusio  published  his  Navi- 
gation* et  Viaggi,  1556.  Block  island,  named  in  the  Verrazano  letter  (1524)  "Aloy- 
sia,"  and  in  his  brother's  map  (1529)  and  in  the  map  of  Maiollo  (1527)  "  Luisa" 
has  here  been  changed  into  "  Buiso,"  or  perhaps  "  Brisa  " —  evidently  a  corruption. 


French  ships  in  the  sixteenth  century.  It  was  in  a  ship  such  as  these  that 
Verrazano  came  to  New  York  harbor  in  1524. 


(Both  of  the  above  cuts  are  taken  from  Ramusio) 


and  form  as  it  would  be  possible  to  tell;  the  first  of  about  XXXX 
years,  the  other  a  young  man  of  XXIIII  years,  the  clothing  of 
whom  was  thus :  the  older  had  on  his  nude  body  a  skin  of  a  stag, 
artificially  adorned  like  a  damask  with  various  embroideries;  the 
head  bare,  the  hair  turned  back  with  various  bands,  at  the  neck  a 
broad  chain  ornamented  with  many  stones  of  diverse  colors.  The 
young  man  was  almost  in  the  same  style.  This  is  the  most  beauti- 
ful people  and  the  most  civilized  in  customs  that  we  have  found 
in  this  navigation.  They  excel  us  in  size ;  they  are  of  bronze  color, 
some  inclining  more  to  whiteness,  others  to  tawny  color;  the  face 
sharply  cut,  the  hair  long  and  black,  upon  which  they  bestow 
the  greatest  study  in  adorning  it ;  the  eyes  black  and  alert,  the  bear- 
ing kind  and  gentle,  imitating  much  the  ancient  [manner].  Of 
the  other  parts  of  the  body  I  will  not  speak  to  Your  Majesty,  having 
all  the  proportions  which  belong  to  every  well  built  man.  Their 
women  are  of  the  same  beauty  and  charm;  very  graceful;  of 
comely  mien  and  agreeable  aspect;  of  habits  and  behavior  as  much 
according  to  womanly  custom  as  pertains  to  human  nature ;  they 
go  nude  with  only  one  skin  of  the  stag  embroidered  like  the  men, 
and  some  wear  on  the  arms  very  rich  skins  of  the  lynx ;  the  head 
bare,  with  various  arrangements  of  braids,  composed  of  their  own 
hair,  which  hang  on  one  side  and  the  other  of  the  breast.  Some 
use  other  hair-arrangements  like  the  women  of  Egypt  and  of 
Syria  use,  and  these  are  they  who  are  advanced  in  age  and  are 
joined  in  wedlock.  They  have  in  the  ears  various  pendent  trinkets 
as  the  orientals  are  accustomed  to  have,  the  men  like  the  women, 
among  which  we  saw  many  plates  wrought  from  copper,  by  whom 
it  is  prized  more  than  gold;  which,  on  account  of  its  color,  they 
do  not  esteem ;  wherefore  among  all  it  is  held  by  them  more  worth- 
less; on  the  other  hand  rating  blue  and  red  above  any  other. 
That  which  they  were  given  by  us  which  they  most  valued  were 
little  bells,  blue  crystals  and  other  trinkets  to  place  in  the  ears 
and  on  the  neck.  They  did  not  prize  cloth  of  silk  and  of  gold  nor 
even  of  other  kind,  nor  did  they  care  to  have  them ;  likewise  with 
metals  like  steel  and  iron ;  for  many  times  showing  them  our  arms 
they  did  not  conceive  admiration  for  them  nor  ask  for  them,  only 
examining  the  workmanship.  They  did  the  same  with  the  mirrors ; 
suddenly  looking  at  them,  they  refused  them  laughing.  They  are 
very  liberal,  so  much  so  that  all  which  they  have  they  give  away. 
We  formed  a  great  friendship  with  them,  and  one  day,  before  we 
had  entered  with  the  ship  in  the  port,  remaining  on  account  of  the 
unfavorable  weather  conditions  anchored  a  league  at  sea.  they 


I  2 


came  in  great  numbers  in  their  little  barges  to  the  ship,  having 
painted  and  decked  the  face  with  various  colors,  showing  to  us  it 
was  evidence  of  good  feeling,  bringing  to  us  of  their  food,  signal- 
ing to  us  where  for  the  safety  of  the  ship  we  ought  anchor  in 
the  port,  continually  accompanying  us  until  we  cast  anchor  there. 

Fifteen  Days  among  the  Indigenes  of  "  Refugio  " 

In  which  we  remained  XV  days,  supplying  ourselves  with  many 
necessities ;  where  every  day  the  people  came  to  see  us  at  the  ship, 
bringing  their  women,  of  whom  they  are  very  careful;  because, 
entering  the  ship  themselves,  remaining  a  long  time,  they  made 
their  women  stay  in  the  barges,  and  however  many  entreaties  we 
made  them,  offering  to  give  them  various  things,  it  was  not  possible 
that  they  would  allow  them  to  enter  the  ship.  And  one  of  the  two 
Kings  1  coming  many  times  with  the  Queen  and  many  attendants 
through  their  desire  to  see  us,  at  first  always  stopped  on  a  land 
distant  from  us  two  hundred  paces,  sending  a  boat  to  inform  us  of 
their  coming,  saying  they  wished  to  come  to  see  the  ship ;  doing 
this  for  a  kind  of  safety.  And  when  they  had  the  response  from  us, 
they  came  quickly,  and  having  stood  awhile  to  look,  hearing  the 
noisy  clamor  of  the  sailor  crowd,  sent  the  Queen  with  her  damsels 
in  a  very  light  barge  to  stay  on  a  little  island  distant  from  us  a 
quarter  of  a  league;  himself  remaining  a  very  long  time,  dis- 
coursing by  signs  and  gestures  of  various  fanciful  ideas,  examining 
all  the  equipments  of  the  ship,  asking  especially  their  purpose, 
imitating  our  manners,  tasting  our  foods,  then  parted  from  us 
benignantly.  And  one  time,  our  people  remaining  two  or  three 
days  on  a  little  island  near  the  ship  for  various  necessities  as  is  the 
custom  of  sailors,  he  came  with  seven  or  eight  of  his  attendants, 
watching  our  operations,  asking  many  times  if  we  wished  to  remain 
there  for  a  long  time,  offering  us  his  every  help.  Then,  shooting 
with  the  bow,  running,  he  performed  with  his  attendants  various 
games  to  give  us  pleasure. 

[Here  follows  a  description  of  the  land  and  the  products  in  the 
vicinity  of  Newport.  This  is  followed  by  a  description  of  the  coasts 
of  Cape  Cod  and  those  to  the  north  of  that  cape.  Then  follows 
a  description  of  the  Indians  living  along  those  coasts.] 


1  When  Roger  Williams  went  to  this  same  country  over  a  century  later  he 
found  that  they  had  two  chief  kings  or  sachems,  Canonicus  and  Miantonomo. 


13 


The  Return 

We  departed,  skirting  the  coast  between  east  and  north.  .  .  . 

[Here  follows  a  description  of  a  coast  with  many  islands,  prob- 
ably the  coast  of  Maine.] 

Navigating  between  east-south-east  and  north-north-east,  in  the 
space  of  CL  leagues  we  came  near  the  land  which  the  Britons  found 
in  the  past,  which  stands  in  fifty  degrees,  and  having  consumed  all 
our  naval  stores  and  victuals,  having  discovered  six  hundred  leagues 
and  more  of  new  land,  furnishing  ourselves  with  water  and  wood, 
we  decided  to  turn  toward  France. 

The  Indigenes  Without  Religion 

How  much  religion  these  people  whom  we  have  found  have,  we 
were  not  able  to  learn,  through  lack  of  language,  either  by  signs 
or  any  gestures.  We  consider  they  have  neither  religion  nor  law, 
nor  know  a  First  Cause  or  Author,  nor  worship  the  sky,  stars,  sun 
or  moon  or  other  planets,  nor  have  any  species  of  idolatry,  nor  did 
we  learn  that  they  make  sacrifice  or  other  prayers ;  nor  that  their 
villages  had  temples  or  churches  for  prayer. 

We  think  they  have  not  any  creed  and  live  in  entire  freedom,  and 
everything  proceeds  from  ignorance,  for  they  are  very  easy  to 
persuade,  and  did  with  as  much  enthusiasm  and  fervor  as  we  all 
that  which  by  us  Christians  they  saw  done  concerning  the  divine 
worship. 

The  Longitude  Covered:  the  Astronomical  Diary 

It  remains  for  me  to  narrate  to  Your  Majesty  the  order  of  said 
navigation  as  it  bears  on  Cosmography.  As  I  said  above,  departing 
from  the  aforesaid  rocks  which  are  situated  in  the  extremity  of  the 
west  known  to  the  ancients,  and  in  the  meridian  described  by  the 
Fortunate  Islands,  in  latitude  of  XXXII  degrees  from  the  equator 
in  our  hemisphere,  we  sailed  to  the  west,  as  far  as  the  first  land 
we  found,  MCC  leagues,  which  contain  4,800  miles,  counting  four 
miles  per  league  according  to  the  maritime  usage  of  naval  experts : 

[Here  follow  in  detail  his  nautical  calculations.] 
as  I  have  noted  all  fully  in  a  little  book,  together  with  the  rising 
of  the  tide,  in  whatever  region,  at  any  time  and  hour,  which  I  think 
would  prove  to  be  not  useless  for  navigators. 

I  hope,  for  better  speculation,  to  discuss  it  with  Your  Majesty. 


M 

T}ie  Object  of  the  Voyage 

My  intention  was  in  this  navigation  to  reach  Cathay  and  the 
extreme  east  of  Asia,  not  expecting  to  find  such  an  obstacle  of  new 
land  as  1  found;  and  if  for  some  reason  I  expected  to  find  it,  I 
thought  it  to  be  not  without  some  strait  to  penetrate  to  the  Eastern 
Ocean.  And  this  has  been  the  opinion  of  all  the  ancients,  believing 
certainly  our  Western  Ocean  to  be  one  with  the  Eastern  Ocean  of 
India  without  interposition  of  land.  This  Aristotle  affirms,  arguing 
by  many  similitudes,  which  opinion  is  very  contrary  to  the  moderns 
and  according  to  experience  untrue.  Because  the  land  has  been 
found  by  them  unknown  to  the  ancients,  another  world  with  respect 
to  the  one  which  was  known  to  them,  it  manifestly  shows  itself 
to  be  larger  than  our  Europe  and  Africa  and  almost  Asia,  if  we 
estimate  correctly  its  size ;  as  briefly  I  will  give  Your  Majesty  a 
little  account  of  it. 

The  New  Lands  Form  a  Great  Continent 

[Here  are  put  some  more  mathematical  calculations.] 
On  the  other  hand,  we,  in  this  navigation  made  by  order  of  Your 
Majesty  beyond  92  degrees,  etc.  from  said  meridian  toward  the  west 
to  the  land  we  first  found  in  34  degrees,0  navigated  300  leagues 
between  east  and  north  and  almost  400  leagues  to  the  east  uninter- 
ruptedly along  the  shore  of  the  land,  attaining  to  54  degrees,  leaving 
the  land  that  the  Lusitanians  6  found  a  long  time  ago,  which  they 
followed  farther  north  as  far  as  the  Artie  circle  leaving  the  end 
unknown.  Therefore  the  northern  latitude  joined  with  the  south- 
ern, that  is,  54  degrees  with  66  degrees,  make  120  degrees,  more 
latitude  than  Africa  and  Europe  contain,  because  joining  the 
extremity  of  Europe  which  the  limits  of  Norway  form  [and]  which 
stand  in  71  degrees  with  the  extremity  of  Africa,  which  is  the 
Promontory  of  Good  Hope  in  35  degrees,  makes  only  106  degrees, 
and  if  the  terrestrial  area  of  said  land  corresponds  in  extent  to  the 
seashore,  there  is  no  doubt  it  exceeds  Asia  in  size. 

Proportion  between  Land  and  Water  in  the  Globe 

In  such  way  we  find  the  globe  of  the  Earth  much  larger  than  the 
ancients  have  held  and  contrary  to  the  Mathematicians  who  have 
considered  that  relatively  to  the  water  it  [the  land]  was  smaller, 
which  we  have  found  by  experience  to  be  the  reverse. 


a  land  near  Temistitan. 

b  that  is,  Bacalaia,  so  called  from  a  fish. 


E5 


And  as  for  the  corporeal  area  of  space,  we  judge  there  cannot  be 
less  land  than  water,  as  I  hope  on  a  better  occasion  by  further 
reasoning  to  make  clear  and  proven  to  Your  Majesty. 

The  New  World  Is  Isolated 

All  this  land  or  New  World  which  above  I  have  described  is 
connected  together,  not  adjoining  Asia  nor  Africa  (which  I  know  to 
a  certainty)  ;  it  may  join  Europe  by  Norway  and  Russia ;  which 
would  be  false  according  to  the  ancients,  who  declare  almost  all 
the  north  from  the  promontory  of  the  Cimbri  to  have  been  navi- 
gated to  the  east,  going  around  as  far  as  the  Caspian  Sea  itself  they 
affirm.  It  would  therefore  remain  included  between  two  seas, 
between  the  Eastern  and  the  Western,  and  that,  accordingly 
(secondo)  shuts  off  one  from  the  other;  because  beyond  54  degrees 
from  the  equator  toward  the  south  it  [the  new  land]  extends 
toward  the  east  for  a  long  distance,  and  from  the  north  passing  66 
degrees  it  continues,  turning  toward  the  east,  reaching  as  far  as 
70  degrees. 

I  hope  we  shall  have  better  assurance  of  this,  with  the  aid  of 
Your  Majesty,  whom  God  Almighty  prosper  in  everlasting  glory, 
that  we -may  see  the  perfect  end  of  this  our  cosmography,  and  that 
the  sacred  word  of  the  evangelist  may  be  accomplished :  '*  Their 
sound  has  gone  out  into  all  the  earth,''  etc. 

In  the  ship  Dauphine,  VIII  of  July,  M.  D.  XXIIII. 

Humble  servant,  Janus  Verazanus 

To  Leonardo  Tedaldi  or  to  Thomaso  Sartini,  merchants  in  Lyons. 
To  be  forwarded  to  Bonacorso  Ruscellay. 

NOTE 

Beyond  what  is  given  in  the  sources  above  very  little  is  known 
about  Verrazano.  It  is  conjectured  that  he  was  born  in  1485  and 
that  he  was  lost  on  a  second  voyage  which  he  undertook  in  1528. 
For  a  list  of  books  about  him,  see  Channing,  Hart  and  Turner, 
Guide  to  the  Study  of  American  History,  pages  249  and  250.  For 
years  there  was  a  dispute  as  to  the  authenticity  of  the  letter  describ- 
ing the  voyage  of  the  "  Dauphine,"  but  in  1909  a  new  copy  with 
annotations  was  discovered  in  the  Cellere  palace  in  Rome.  This 
settled  the  question  in  favor  of  the  genuineness  and  Professor 
Alessandro  Bacchiani  of  Rome  published  the  new  text  along  with  an 
introduction  in  which  the  whole  controversy  was  critically 
reviewed.  Bacchiani's  work  was  translated  from  Italian  into 
English  by  Dr  Edward  Hagaman  Hall  of  New  York  and  published 


i6 


in  the  Fifteenth  Annual  Report  of  the  American  Scenic  and 
Historic  Preservation  Society  (1910)  under  the  title  Giovanni  da 
Verrazzano  and  His  Discoveries  in  NortJi  America.  It  is  from 
this  text  that  the  selections  here  given  are  taken. 

The  letter  of  da  Silveira  and  that  of  Carli  are  taken  from  the 
translations  of  the  texts  published  by  H.  C.  Murphy  in  his  Voyage 
of  Verrazzano,  pages  162-63  and  17,  18,  19  respectively.  A  cor- 
rection is  made  in  the  Carli  letter  changing  that  writer's  first  name 
from  Fernando  as  given  by  Murphy  and  others  to  Bernardo,  a 
change  which  Bacchiani  shows  according  to  the  manuscript  should 
be  made. 

In  making  the  selections  from  Verrazano's  letter  an  attempt  has 
been  made  to  give  those  parts  particularly  applicable  to  New  York 
and  the  coasts  of  Long  Island  sound.  Incidents  preceding  the 
arrival  in  New  York  harbor,  and  such  descriptions  of  Indian  life  as 
were  as  well  applicable  to  the  Indians  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York 
as  elsewhere,  have  been  given. 


